The cold wind and heavy rain heightened the tension among the three of them. Although visibility was limited, Ricky, Sophie, and Kieran pressed forward with caution. The heavy footsteps of the mechanical creatures they had encountered earlier were fading, but they knew the threat was far from over.
"This doesn't make sense," Kieran muttered while examining the scanner on his wrist. "There are too many of them for just one squad. Draven must be planning something far bigger than we imagined."
Ricky paused, studying the holographic map they carried. "We can't waste time. If Draven reaches the main core first, it's over. We have to take the shortcut through this valley."
"The valley filled with ruins?" Sophie asked, squinting ahead. "Are you sure it's safe?"
"No path is truly safe here," Ricky replied firmly. "But we have no other choice."
After several minutes of walking, they arrived at a narrow valley with high stone walls on both sides. The area was filled with ancient ruins, remnants of a civilization long gone before the world began to collapse. The air was heavy, as if burdened by the dark memories of the past.
"Scan the area, Kieran. I don't want us walking into an ambush," Ricky ordered, keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings.
Kieran activated the scanning device on his wrist, and a small screen emitted a faint blue light. After a few seconds, he frowned. "There's something up ahead. Their energy signature matches the creatures we fought earlier."
"We can't turn back," Sophie said, readying her weapon. "Ready or not, we have to face whatever's waiting for us."
Carefully, they pressed on until they reached an open field in the middle of the valley. There, they spotted five large mechanical creatures, each equipped with heavy, glowing red weapons.
"Defensive formation!" Ricky quickly commanded.
The three of them moved swiftly, taking cover behind the ruins. It didn't take long for the creatures to detect their presence, and the battle began. Barrages of energy bullets rained down, striking the stone walls and debris around them.
"We won't last long at this rate!" Kieran shouted amidst the deafening sound of gunfire.
Ricky glanced at Sophie. "Can you access their control panels?"
"Give me five minutes!" Sophie quickly responded, pulling out her electronic hacking tool.
"Kieran, cover Sophie. I'll try to draw their fire."
Without waiting for a reply, Ricky darted out from cover, firing energy rounds at one of the creatures. A small explosion followed, but it wasn't enough to take down the enemy. Instead, all the creatures turned their focus toward Ricky.
"Hurry up, Sophie!" Kieran urged, continuing to fire at the approaching enemies to buy her time.
Sophie's fingers moved rapidly across her device, attempting to breach the creatures' control systems. "Almost there… just a little more…"
A massive explosion occurred near Ricky, throwing him backward. Kieran rushed over to help. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Just make sure Sophie finishes the job!" Ricky stood, though his expression betrayed the pain he was feeling.
Seconds later, Sophie shouted, "Got it! I've taken control of their systems!"
The creatures abruptly stopped attacking, standing still in place. Sophie manipulated their systems, shutting down all units. Silence fell, with only the sound of rain echoing around them.
"We did it," Kieran said with a sigh of relief.
"But this is only the beginning," Ricky reminded them. "Draven knows we're still moving. We need to get out of here before he sends another wave."
The trio quickly left the open field, continuing their journey through the valley. Though they had survived the encounter, tension remained high.
Before they could reach the end of the valley, a different kind of rumble echoed from afar. This time, it wasn't the sound of mechanical creatures it was something far larger and more powerful.
Sophie stopped in her tracks, her face tense. "Ricky… something's coming, and I don't think it's just another regular squad."
Ricky raised his weapon, eyes sharp and alert. "Get ready. Whatever it is, we need to hold our ground."
Through the thick mist, a massive shadow began to emerge, slowly drawing closer. What they saw left them speechless. It was a giant war machine unlike anything they had encountered before, armed with weapons that seemed capable of obliterating everything in a single strike.
This… isn't something we can fight head-on," Kieran muttered, his breath caught as the colossal war machine advanced, bringing an undeniable threat closer with every step.
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